If you’ve ever flipped over a Walmart snack or frozen pizza to check the ingredients list, the company’s about to make that label a whole lot cleaner. The retail giant just announced it’s giving its U.S. private food brands a major makeover, cutting out synthetic dyes and dozens of other additives you probably can’t pronounce.
Altogether, the retailer is removing synthetic dyes and 30 ingredients from store brands including Bettergoods, Freshness Guaranteed, Great Value, and Marketside. Artificial sweeteners, certain preservatives, and fat substitutes are among the ingredients being phased out.
The full list of every synthetic dye and ingredient being removed is available in Walmart’s announcement.
The company will start releasing reformulated products in the coming months and plans to completely remove the ingredients by January 2027. It states that it’s “working with private brand suppliers to adjust formulations and source alternative ingredients, while preserving the same great taste customers have come to expect.”
According to Walmart, 90% of its U.S private food brand products are already synthetic dye free.
As motivation, it points to a survey it conducted which found that 62% of customers want more transparency and 54% of customers read the ingredients list on their food.
However, the news also follows a recent push by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for companies to voluntarily remove synthetic dyes by the end of 2026.
Brands such as General Mills and Nestlé have announced plans to phase out dyes. In June, Walmart-owned Sam’s Club said it would get rid of over 40 ingredients, such as artificial dyes and sweeteners.
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